India Condemns Attack on Indian-Flagged Cargo Ship Off Oman
NEW DELHI — India on Thursday strongly condemned an attack on an Indian-flagged cargo vessel off the coast of Oman, calling the incident “unacceptable” and raising concern over continued attacks on commercial shipping and civilian mariners in the region.
According to reports, the Gujarat-owned cargo ship MSV Haji Ali sank after it was struck by what preliminary reports described as a drone or missile-like projectile on May 13 while sailing through Omani waters.
The vessel was traveling from Berbera Port in Somalia to Sharjah when the incident occurred.
“The attack on an Indian-flagged ship off the coast of Oman yesterday is unacceptable, and we deplore the fact that commercial shipping and civilian mariners continue to be targeted,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The ministry said all Indian crew members aboard the vessel were safe and thanked Omani authorities for carrying out the rescue operation promptly.
“India reiterates that targeting commercial shipping and endangering innocent civilian crew members, or otherwise impeding freedom of navigation and commerce, should be avoided,” the ministry added.
Teams from the Oman Coast Guard launched a swift rescue operation and safely evacuated all 14 crew members despite the ship catching fire after the strike, according to several local media outlets.
The vessel reportedly became stranded off the Omani coast around 3:30 a.m. local time, according to the ship’s owner, Sultan Ahmed Ansar, a resident of Dwarka in Gujarat.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region and renewed concerns over the safety of international maritime routes and commercial vessels operating in West Asian waters.
The crisis in West Asia erupted after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed during the strikes.
Tehran retaliated with a series of attacks against Israel and U.S. military bases in Gulf nations. The conflict triggered a wider regional crisis after Iran announced it was blocking the Strait of Hormuz. (Source: IANS)
